Where do illegal guns in the Philippines come from?
Illegal guns have figured prominently in notorious high-profile drug heists, violent extremist activities, massacres, homicides, and robberies in the Philippines. Almost 99% of the guns used in crimes are loose firearms.
In 2014, Filipinos owned an estimated 3.9 million firearms. Some 2.1 million, or half of these, are illegal. In contrast, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines owned less than a million guns. State forces are clearly outgunned.
Where do illegal guns come from? Why do they persist? What can be done? Watch this video to find out more.
